Shanghai: Carlos Alcaraz swiftly defeated China’s Shang Juncheng on Saturday, securing his spot in the third round of the Shanghai Masters with straight-set victories.
Alcaraz gained an early lead in the first game and maintained his dominance with a 6-2, 6-2 win.
Shang, a teenage sensation, became the second Chinese player to clinch an ATP Tour singles title at the Chengdu Open last month. However, he struggled to gain ground against the world’s second-ranked player.
The audience, while supportive of Shang, was captivated by Alcaraz’s allure.
Encouraged by the Spaniard, they erupted into cheers during an exhilarating rally where Alcaraz executed a challenging backward shot to sustain the play.
“Recently, I’ve been playing some really good tennis, so I aim to continue this momentum and maintain this positive feeling,” Alcaraz remarked post-match.
“With only one practice session before diving into this match, displaying such a level of play in my first game makes me incredibly proud,” he continued.
Entering the tournament with a nine-match winning streak, Alcaraz had just triumphed at the China Open in Beijing, where he overcame the top-seeded Italian, Jannik Sinner, in the final.
